8
- April 2016
Where and How to Hold the Ball
Before we learn about the perfect approach, here are a few more goodies
by way of review. You will find that if you concentrate, all these tips will even-
tually become automatic. So make yourself do them in the beginning, and
you’ll never regret the effort.
You have picked up the ball with both hands.
You have inserted your two bowling fingers and then your thumb.
Now let’s add a few more things to think about.
There is a right and wrong way to position the ball in relation to your body
and bowling arm. Much trouble begins by holding the ball in the center of
your body. Center can refer to two things—holding the ball somewhere be-
tween your shoulders and hips or holding the ball in the middle of your body.
If you begin your approach by holding the ball in the middle of your body, you
probably angle the ball in the backswing so that your ball is in trouble at the
release point.
Here’s what happens when you hold the ball that way. You push the ball
out, and as it comes down in the pendulum swing, it hits or rubs your right
leg. So the next time, you push the ball out straight, but in order to avoid hit-
ting your leg, you swing it away from your body and off to the right in the
backswing.
It’s easy to understand why such a ball is going to veer to the left when you
deliver it. When it does, you say, ―My what a lot of hook I have today‖ or
―Gosh, this center has no oil on the lanes.‖
The someone (critic or spouse—neither one an instructor) will suggest that
the ball is swinging from right to left. That’s obvious, but this critic doesn’t tell
you how to correct it.
So you start again with the ball in the middle of your body and this time you
push it out to the right and, of course, the ball swings behind your back to the
left. So where is it going to go when you release it? Why out to the channel or
down to clip off the 10 pin. Now you start blaming everything except the real
cause because your ball doesn’t hook.
The more you try to correct the fault, the more off balance you become with
your head, shoulders and body leaning or falling to the right, causing a back-
up or, to the left, resulting in a terrible hook.
Can you believe that one wrong move is causing all these things to hap-
pen? Holding the ball in the center of your body is the culprit.
In your stance position, move the ball slightly to the right (for right-handers)
or, better yet, line up the ball with your bowling shoulder. Don’t strain to do it,
but place yourself in a comfortable position.
Those who have any hip width at all must definitely move the ball to the
right in the stance position to enable the arm to swing in a straight arm pen-
dulum alongside the body. This straight arm swing leads to bigger and better
results, as you’ll learn in following lessons.
Let’s review:
Pick up the ball with both hands.
Insert two fingers, then your thumb, and be sure you have enough room so
that your thumb is all the way down the thumb hole.
Hold the ball in the handshake position—no wrinkles in the wrist.
Move the ball slightly to the right, in line with your bowling arm, in the
stance position. Be comfortable and not strained.
Helen Duval’s Bowling Tips
Idle Bowling Thoughts
By Chuck Pezzano
(reprinted in honor of his dedication to bowling)
Why do people bowl?
Some people bowl because it is their way to make a living.
Some people bowl to be with their friends, mates or family.
Some people bowl to get away from their friends, mates or family.
Some people bowl because they like being frustrated, bitter and unhappy, and bowling gives
them a little of each.
Some people bowl because they like being satisfied and happy, and bowling gives them a little
of that.
Some people bowl just because they were asked to bowl.
Some people bowl because it is an inexpensive form of entertainment.
Some people bowl because they like to throw things.
Some people bowl because they were lousy at every other sport and figure bowling is an easy
game.
Some people bowl because they were good in other sports and figured when they don’t cut it in
football or baseball or other sports bowling can still keep them competitive.
Some old people bowl to stay young.
Some young people bowl to learn how to mature.
Some people bowl because they like to talk.
Some people bowl because they like to listen.
Some people bowl so they can have something to brag or complain about.
Some people bowl because they have some excuses left over from other life encounters they
lost.
Some people bowl because they found a bowling ball or pair of shoes in the attic or cellar.
Some people bowl because it gives them license to go out, have a drink, wear outlandish
clothes, and yell a lot.
Some people bowl for exercise.
Some people bowl to get away from the cares of work or home, then end up caring more about
home and work because of the new cares bowling brings.
Some people bowl to make out.
Some people bowl because they saw a pro on TV and figure they can do better.
Some little people bowl because their mothers and fathers make them bowl.
Some people bowl because for a tiny sum they can use million dollar equipment.
Some people bowl to lose their inhibitions and some people bowl to put themselves on exhibit
tion.
Some people bowl because they like to laugh, and cry, in no special order.
Some people bowl because bowling centers can be a home away from home.
Some people bowl because they want to win a trophy of some sort, and almost every bowling
can win a trophy at one time or another.
Some people bowl to lose weight.
Some people bowl to throw their weight around.
Some people bowl because it’s one of the only things they can do.
Some people bowl because it’s the only thing they want to do.
